Students may still be in high school, but the path towards the future is upon us a lot quicker than we know it.

On Friday, October 3, Bullitt East Juniors and Seniors attended the College and Career Fair, with 40 vendors in attendance. Students got to visit each booth while exploring potential college choices and career ideas. This gave them the opportunity to figure out what they wanted life after high school to look like, through meaningful conversations and open minds.

“On the recruiting side as a vendor, I like how it’s focused on people that are actually looking for their opportunities,” John Lipsey, E6 First Class Petty Officer (PO1) with the United States Navy and Coast Guard, said. “It’s a lot different than something like a lunchroom visit where you’re just hoping someone walks by. But with the career fairs, the students are already looking for what to do next. It makes it easier on my side and the rest of the vendors to actually engage and build those conversations.” Lipsey said.

From a student perspective, this event turned out to be very successful across all areas, especially when every piece of needed information is provided.

“The fair personally helped me prepare better because I got all my admissions questions answered for EKU, specifically, since I’ll be attending there next fall,” senior Taylor Hightchew said.

No matter the grade or phase of thinking as far as the future, students are grateful for events like this. “I think it’s great that we get an opportunity like this to explore what we want to do in the future,” junior Preston Nunn said. 

Nunn visited the University of Louisville, Kentucky, Indiana, EKU, and WKU booths, and this allowed him to get a better picture of what he wanted to do as a career. Going to college for mechanical engineering, he got to have useful conversations about what potential opportunities were offering.

The key to a great experience is to come prepared and with a purpose. “The vendors want to be able to have active conversations with as many students as possible, so it’s best to come with a goal in mind,” Erin Emington-White, Youth Services Center Coordinator, said.

If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed, it’s that the future is bright for the Class of 2026 and 2027 as they explore all of life’s infinite possibilities and routes for what’s next. No matter how crazy the rest of students’ high school journeys get, annual events like the College and Career Fair allow them to ease some of that stress off. No more fear of what’s next, instead it’s being replaced with bright ideas and strong networking.